(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-09) Gorgens, Johann F.
The pursuit of academic research is internationally
considered to be a key deliverable of academic
careers, with ever-increasing expectations of
demonstrated research capacity and outputs as a means
to substantiate academic excellence. The motivation
behind granting such priority to research in the academic
environment warrants careful consideration, considering
the amount of time, effort and funding invested in these
activities. Such consideration is the goal of the present
essay, with particular application to the engineering and
scientific domains of academic research.